


Lay On Hands

by SociallyAwkwardFox



Series: Widofjord Week 2020 [4]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Developing Relationship, Falling In Love, Handprint, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Romance, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Widofjord Week (Critical Role)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:21:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24799129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SociallyAwkwardFox/pseuds/SociallyAwkwardFox
Summary: The first time someone touches their soulmate, their handprint is burned into the other's skin. A visible reminder of a bond that will form between them.
Relationships: Fjord/Caleb Widogast
Series: Widofjord Week 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1793635
Comments: 8
Kudos: 151





	Lay On Hands

While he'd always had an underlying interest in magic, it wasn't until he suddenly found himself with magical abilities that Fjord began to search for answers to the questions he always had about it. When he met Caleb, it felt like the pieces that were slowly falling into place were beginning to form a picture he might be able to make sense of. Behind the unassuming exterior lurked something that Fjord couldn't quite put his finger on, but his gut told him that Caleb knew more about magic than he let on. Unlike Jester, there wasn't a godly connection allowing Caleb to use magic as easily as breathed. He had knowledge of magic. He understood it.

Getting roped into spending the evening at the carnival with Caleb and Nott was less of a chore and more of an opportunity for Fjord. His eyes rarely strayed far from Caleb as he hoped for a chance to see even a faint glimpse of what the other man could do. All hell breaking loose when people in the audience turned into creatures he'd never seen before gave him more than he bargained for, but a perfect excuse to spend more time with Caleb. The decision for them all to team up provided an excellent chance to slowly chip away at the walls Caleb kept around himself.

“What do you think we should do?” Caleb shuffled uncomfortably under Fjord's gaze and flicked his eyes nervously from one person to the next. “Caleb? Any ideas?”

“Uh, Frumpkin could go ahead while I look through his eyes to find them and look for potential options for us to consider before we run in.”

“That sounds like an excellent idea. Is there anything we can do to help?”

“If we want to keep moving, I will need a little help. My hearing and sight goes when I am seeing through Frumpkin.”

Before Fjord could offer his assistance, Nott forced herself between the two of them to take Caleb's hand in her own. “I can do it, Caleb.”

“Thank you, but I think your talents would be better suited looking for traps.”

“Are you sure?”

“I'll keep an eye on him.” When Nott narrowed her eyes at him, Fjord defensively held up his hands. “I won't let him fall. Promise.”

“You better not.”

With a threatening growl, Nott whipped around to walk ahead of the group so she could keep an eye out for potential traps waiting to trip them up. As he opened his mouth to speak to Caleb, a hand settled on his shoulder. A warmth spread through his skin where Caleb's hand rested against his armor that quickly turned into a burning sensation. Fjord whipped his head around to find Caleb's hand innocently sitting there. His mind whirled as realization set in. He didn't have to look under the armor to know he now had Caleb's handprint branded onto his shoulder.

“Fjord, get moving!”

After taking a steadying breath, Fjord turned his attention to Beau. “Stop yelling. We're trying not to be completely obvious that we're coming.”

“We're not going anywhere if you keep standing there. Come on and bring the wizard with you.”

“We're coming.”

His hand hovered nervously near Caleb's back to urge him forward but decided against it at the last moment. Instead, he took a step forward that Caleb instinctively followed when his hand threatened to slide off. Despite not being able to see or hear, Caleb walked confidently forward with only Fjord to stop him from walking where he shouldn't. While the burning sensation quieted to a dull warmth, Fjord's mind continued to wander to the memory of fire burning bright under his skin.

Unexpectedly, Caleb's hand fell away, which sent a spike of fear shooting through Fjord, until he saw intelligent blue eyes looking at him. “I've found them.”

* * *

“That looks fresh. When did this happen?” A finger skimmed along the sensitive skin of his shoulder causing a shiver to run down his spine as he jerked away from the touch. “Sorry, didn't mean to startle you.”

“If you didn't want to startle me, you would've said something before touching me.”

“Maybe. The question still stands. When did that happen?”

After searching Molly's eyes for something more than pure curiosity, Fjord let out a heavy sigh and dropped down on the foot of his bed. “Today.”

“That's exciting. Who's the lucky one?”

“It's, uh... I probably shouldn't talk about it. I haven't gotten a chance to talk to them about it. It'd be rude to tell someone else before them.”

“If you told me, I might be able to help you with that. I might not be one for tying myself down, but I'm not opposed to helping others find their happiness with someone.”

“I'm not sure whether your help would be a good thing or a bad thing. Either way, I still think it's best I tell them first.”

“Interesting. What if I figure it out on my own?”

“Well, I can't stop you trying. Why the interest?”

“Puzzles are fun, and I like knowing things.”

“Good to know my soulmate is a fun puzzle for you to figure out.”

“It wouldn't be if you told me, but I respect your decision not to tell me.”

“But you want to figure it out.”

“Obviously.” Molly's tail flicked back and forth several times as his eyes studied the handprint. “Nobody we spoke to today touched you there, so it must be one of us. Jester's a touchy one, which means there's no way she hasn't touched you before today. Beau isn't interested in you and neither is Yasha. Nott's hand is much too small for this to be her. I didn't touch you there today, which leaves one person. Someone that you offered a helping hand to when he needed someone to be his eyes for him.”

“Molly-”

“Am I wrong?”

“Please don't say anything to him.”

“I'm not interested in meddling. It's your business, not mine. I will give you some advice if you're willing to listen.”

“What advice?”

With a surprisingly gentle smile, Molly bent down to be at eye level. “Be careful with that one. He's a skittish one. It might take him time to accept that you’re his soulmate, so don't go in expecting him to jump into your arms.”

“I know that. I don't expect anything from him, but I can't hide this from him. He deserves to know.”

“You're a good man, Fjord. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help.”

“Unless you can distract everyone else long enough for me to talk to Caleb alone, I don't think there's much you can do.”

“That is quite the challenge. I'll see what I can do for you, but I make no promises. Nott is practically attached to his hip.”

“She's protective of him.”

“Possibly for good reason.”

After a long silence, Molly rose from the bed to strip off his clothes and dropped dramatically onto his own. The tiefling took his time getting comfortable on the shitty bed, then let his bright red eyes fall shut. The only thing giving away he hadn't fallen asleep was the light tapping of one foot against the other to some rhythm Fjord couldn't hear.

“Thank you, Molly.”

“Don't thank me yet. I'm not sure I'll be of much help.”

“You've helped enough already.”

“By bugging you until you told me what I wanted to know?”

“Technically, you figured it out on your own.”

“Technically.”

“Yeah, technically.”

* * *

Despite his best efforts, it seemed impossible to get Caleb alone for more than a few seconds before someone showed up to interrupt them. Molly tried to keep Nott distracted whenever Fjord got the chance to pull Caleb away, but she either slipped away when she noticed or one of the others would magically appear. It was like Beau and Jester knew exactly when Fjord was about to have a private conversation with Caleb. He wasn't even sure he would've been able to accomplish it if they had private rooms to sneak off to. With his luck, someone would decide to knock just before he could say anything.

“Fjord?” A hand waved in front of his face until Fjord blinked his vision back into focus and directed his attention to Caleb. “Is something on your mind? You have been staring into space for an hour and half. I'm not entirely sure you blinked that entire time.”

“I'm fine but thank you for the concern.”

“I'm here if you would like to talk about it.”

Fjord glanced over his shoulder to find the others much too close for their conversation to stay private. “Thanks, Caleb.”

“Of course, Fjord.”

Over the next few hours, Fjord did his best not to take his eyes off the path or completely lose himself in his own thoughts again. The time passed quicker than he thought it would have with Caleb reading quietly next to him when he wasn't using Frumpkin's eyes to check the road ahead. On a few of the bumpy sections, Caleb's hand reached up to rest on Fjord's shoulder, so he felt stable while he wasn't in his body. Each time he did so, the burn on his skin warmed pleasantly.

When the town finally came into view, his body relaxed at the mere thought of finally getting to walk around and possibly talk to Caleb. With the helpful direction of a few kind individuals, they found a stable to keep the horses and wagon for the night. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he let out a sigh of relief and stretched his arms up to loosen his shoulders. Beau clapped him hard on the back, then smirked when it nearly sent him face first into a pile of hay.

“What have I told you about doing that?”

“What? I was gentle.”

“That was not gentle.”

“Sure, it was. You stayed on your feet.” A playful punch to the arm sent a spike of pain through his sore muscles, but he was fairly sure it wouldn't bruise. “We should get going. We all want to hit the shops before they close for the night. Supplies are running low.”

“Right. Anyone notice a good place to stop on the way in?”

“There were a few places that looked like they might have what we're looking for.”

“Then let's get this over with.”

A few people they passed in the street eyed their strange group warily, but no one said anything or made any threatening moves toward them. The first shop they stopped in left them empty handed, but the next proved to be exactly what they were looking for. To cover more ground, their group separated to gather what they needed before meeting back up at the counter. Somehow, Fjord found himself paired up with Caleb to search the shelves for supplies. If only it were the time or place to have a discussion.

While Caleb inspected the shelves, Fjord kept an eye on the people milling around the store. None of them looked particularly threatening, but he knew better than to assume about people he didn't know. He stayed close to Caleb as they moved around the store, then took a step back when they joined the others. Molly sent a raised eyebrow his way that disappeared as soon as Fjord quickly shook his head no.

Even though their exchange was quick, Caleb's curious eyes flicked between the two of them for some hint of what he missed. Fjord put on his most convincing smile to distract Caleb from putting the pieces together, but he didn't appear swayed. Despite the curiosity, Caleb turned his back to Fjord when Nott tugged on the front of his coat to get his attention.

He thought the distraction meant he didn't have to worry, but a sudden shuffling by other people waiting in line knocked Caleb off balance. On instinct, Fjord grabbed onto Caleb's forearms to keep him from falling to the ground. A soft gasp followed by the sound of items hitting the floor caused Fjord's heart rate to skyrocket. Intense blue eyes stared up at him from where Caleb landed against his chest with Fjord's hands still clutching his forearms.

“I'm so sorry.” Blushing furiously, the elderly human woman that bumped into Caleb dipped down to retrieve the dropped items, then held them out with an apologetic smile. “Here you go, deary.”

“I- Nott, could you handle that?” When Nott opened her mouth with a question clearly on the tip of her tongue, Caleb quickly cut her off with a soft pleading tone. “Please, Nott.”

After sending them a scrutinizing look, Nott reached out to take the items the woman had in her arms. Caleb used the time to calm his slightly quickened breathing and straightened up, so he was no longer leaning on Fjord for support. He seemed prepared to play it off, until he looked back at Fjord.

“Fjord and I are going to head to the inn we saw on the way in. We will see you all there.”

Before any of the others could argue, Caleb grabbed Fjord's hand to tug him out of the shop and into the cool night air. He expected Caleb to drop his hand as soon as he could, but he kept their hands connected as he navigated their way to the inn. All the words he wanted to say stayed uncomfortably lodged in his throat the entire walk there and throughout the entire process of getting rooms for the night. No one batted an eyelash as they hurried their way up the stairs and into a room at the end of the second floor.

Once the door shut behind them, Fjord let out a shaky breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding. When Caleb finally dropped his hand to put distance between them, the burn on Fjord's shoulder gave a weak throb. The silence fell heavy in the room, until it weighed so heavily on Fjord, he couldn't stand it any longer.

“Caleb, I-I'm sorry.”

Confusion painted Caleb's features as he rubbed nervously at the handprints burned into his forearms. “For what?”

“I've been trying to tell you about this, but I haven't been able to find the time for a private conversation.”

“Did you... tell anyone else?”

“Molly saw it the day I got it and put the pieces together.”

“Ah, I suppose that explains why he has been dragging Nott off whenever you tried to talk to me.”

“He was trying to help.” Since Caleb didn't appear on the verge of bolting, Fjord took a few steps closer to him. “I thought it best we had a private conversation about this. I swear I wasn't trying to keep it from you.”

“We spend a lot of time together. It would be a difficult thing to hide.”

“That's true, but it's not why I wanted to tell you. You deserved to know. This involves both of us and it was unfair of me to know when you didn't.”

“Things don't always work out the way we want them to. I appreciate the effort. This is a conversation for private and you did what you could to try to make that happen. Our lives do not allow for much privacy.”

“They've probably put the pieces together.”

“Ja, it would be hard not to.”

“Yeah.”

Caleb's body shuttered with a heavy sigh, then his shoulders drooped with exhaustion. “This is not the first for me. I had a soulmate before. We... went our separate ways and the mark faded. It has been some time, but I am not sure what to think.”

“Caleb,” With carefully telegraphed movements, Fjord gently took both of Caleb's hands in his. “I don't expect anything to come from this. I've never put much stock in soulmates, and frankly, finding you hasn't changed that. We barely know each other. These marks might tie us together, but it doesn't mean everything suddenly changes. If we hang around each other long enough, I'm sure we'll figure out what this means.”

“Ja, we'll figure it out.”

* * *

“Fjord?” A hand landed gently on his shoulder, then gave a gentle squeeze when Fjord continued to stare out at the ocean. “You should get some sleep. Exhaustion is not good for the body or the mind.”

“I'm not sure I'll find much peace in sleep.”

“Perhaps, I can help.”

The hand shifted to rest perfectly over the burn before Caleb slid it down to wrap around Fjord's elbow. “I'm not sure I'll be the best company.”

“We are well past expecting the other to always be good company. I found that the horrors that wait me are more manageable with another person around. Nott has always been very accommodating to my needs for contact to rest, but you have not had the same.”

“Aren't their other things you'd rather be doing?”

“If I did not want to help, I would not offer. We are friends, ja? Friends look out for each other. This is not a hardship, Fjord. You are worth the time.”

“As long as I'm not keeping you from anything important.”

“Your stubbornness is beginning to.”

“Okay, okay.”

After one last look over the horizon, Fjord let Caleb guide him to the captain's quarters with their arms linked together. They passed Caduceus, who gave them a soft smile and a nod, on the way there and no other member of the Mighty Nein. With the door providing a barrier between them and the rest of the ship, Fjord let himself relax for the first time all day. The tension in his shoulders released, the throbbing at the back of his head eased, the heavy weight of stress constricting his chest loosened its hold.

Dancing lights popped into existence giving the room a soft and calming glow, like the fading light of a sunset. While Caleb settled in the lone chair behind the desk, Fjord quickly stripped off his armor and kicked off his boots. Instead of dropping to the bed, he made his way to the desk to lean his weight against the side of it. Caleb leaned back in the chair with his arms crossed, then rose an eyebrow in question.

“Is this the right decision? I want to understand this, but is it worth the cost? I feel like I’m dragging you all into danger for my benefit all the time and none of you are getting anything out of it. Your lives are on the line because of some mysterious entity I stumbled upon.”

“We are here because we want to be, Fjord. We want to help you figure this out. You are not dragging us into anything.”

“How many times have you almost died because of this?”

“As Jester likes to remind everyone, I am a squishy wizard.”

“That doesn't make it okay.” Fjord tipped his head back to take a calming breath without having to look Caleb in the eye. “The last thing I want is you to lose your life because I'm looking for answers that have nothing to do with you.”

“It has everything to do with me. We said we would make this work. Us, the Mighty Nein, we'll make it work. If this is something you need to do, we'll stand by you to help you do it.”

“I appreciate the support.”

The slide of chair legs against the floor tipped Fjord off to Caleb standing before he felt a hand on his shoulder and one cupping his jaw to guide his head down so their eyes met. “This is your decision to make. We're going to support you no matter what you choose to do.”

“I'm not sure I've been making wise decisions recently.”

“Then you work on righting the course. Isn't that what sailors do? Right the course when they start to stray?”

“Something like that.”

“Come on.” Caleb gently tagged Fjord toward to the bed, then urged him to lie down. “Rest will help you get your thoughts together.”

“Are you staying?”

“If you would like me to.”

“You said physical contact helps, right?”

“It helps me.”

After silently searching Fjord's face for something, Caleb pulled away to remove his coat and book holster. While he toed off his worn boots, the coat and book holster were carefully draped over the back of the chair. The dancing lights swirled together to light Caleb's path in the dark, then dimmed when he reached the bed once more. As Caleb joined him on the bed, Fjord watched the shadows move across his face. He looked younger in the soft glow of the lights.

“Do I have something on my face?”

“No. Sorry, I was just thinking.”

A low hum rumbled from Caleb's chest, but he didn't probe for information. He simply shifted to find a comfortable spot on the bed, then settled down on his side facing Fjord. A strand of red hair that slipped from his ponytail began to slip down his cheek, until Fjord reached out to tuck it behind his ear. Blue eyes cracked open to slits to watch Fjord slowly pull his hand away.

“Good night, Caleb.”

“Night, Fjord.”

While sleep didn't immediately take him, the warmth that radiated off Caleb and the lights dancing overhead guided him quicker into the arms of sleep than normal. He felt himself starting to go under when a hand reached out to wrap around his wrist in a loose hold. With his eyes closed and face lax, it was difficult to tell whether Caleb was truly sleeping or not. Rather than risk waking him, Fjord moved a leg to rest against Caleb's leg to reciprocate the contact before falling into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

“What's going on between you and Caleb?” The bluntness of Beau's words didn't surprise Fjord in the least, but that didn't stop him for turning to glare at her. “What? I've got eyes. It's obvious something is going on with the two of you. Since we talk about that kind of thing, I thought I'd bring it up to make it less awkward for you.”

“What makes you think something is going on between us?”

“Where do you want me to start? There's the fact the two of you sneak off at night together.”

“We do not sneak off.”

Beau pulled a face at him, then rolled her eyes. “You look like a couple of teenagers trying to hide from their parents. It's sneaking off.”

“Sneaking off would require us to try to hide what we're doing. It's not a secret we've started sharing a room.”

“Yeah, and why the sudden change?”

“Is this a conversation or an interrogation?”

“Depends on what will get you to talk.”

“What if I don't talk?”

“I'll ask Caleb.”

“If I find out you told anyone else what I'm about to tell you, I'll find a new first mate.” With a sharp nod, Beau moved to sit across from him with her legs crossed and all her attention focused on him. “Caleb and I are soulmates.”

“No shit. When did you figure that out?”

“Not long after we met.”

“Have the two of you been together this whole time?”

“No, and we're not together now. We were strangers when we figured it out, but now...”

“You know each other.”

“Yeah. It's different. We're different. I'm not even sure it has anything to do with being soulmates. I've grown to trust him.”

“Have the two of you talked about it since you found out?”

“No.”

“Maybe you should. It could help clear the air. He's probably feeling the same way.”

“Maybe.”

After a few minutes of silence fell between them, a teasing smirk appeared on Beau's face. “So, where's the mark? Somewhere embarrassing?”

“Why in the world would it be somewhere embarrassing?”

“I've never seen it, which means it must be hidden somewhere.”

“I don't make a habit of stripping in front of you.”

“If it's not in an embarrassing place, then showing me shouldn't be a problem.”

“Why do you want to see it?”

“Curiosity, boredom, take your pick.”

“It's not that interesting. It's just a handprint.”

“Obviously, it's a handprint. Let me see it.”

“Fine, only so you'll stop asking me.” While Fjord worked on pulling his armor out of the way, Beau returned to sitting next to him so she could see better. “Happy now?”

“Holy shit.”

“What?”

“I've never actually seen one of these before.”

“Really?”

Beau shrugged her shoulders, then lifted a finger to poke at the mark. “My parents aren't soulmates, and I haven't gotten to know people well enough to talk about it. It doesn't feel different. I thought it would. Can you feel it all the time or is it just there?”

“Most of the time it doesn't feel like anything. It'll burn when Caleb touches it or in emotional situations.”

“It burns?”

“Not in a painful way. It's like the whole thing warms up.”

“Weird." Before letting her hand drop to her lap, Beau poked it again. "It's one thing for people to tell you about them, but it's totally different to see it.”

“Tell me about it. I thought I understood what finding your soulmate is like, but it's a strange thing to actually experience. Caleb went from being this stranger we just met to a person tied to me by some power no one understands. It's still weird to me and I've been living with this mark on my shoulder for months.”

“What about Caleb? How does he feel about all this?”

“You'd have to ask him. It's not something we talk about. We came to an understanding after he found out, then we've let things... be.”

“An understanding?”

“Getting the mark didn't suddenly tell me everything about Caleb or make me fall in love with him. We were still two people that just met trying to figure things out. It didn't change that. We decided to just see what happened.”

“And now the two of you are sneaking off to have private time together.”

“For the last time, it's not sneaking.”

“Whatever you say. As long as the two of you are on the same page, it's not like it matters.”

The sincerity of Beau's words brought a small smile to his face that had Beau rolling her eyes at him. “We are.”

“Good. I don't want to deal with the drama if there's a misunderstanding about that.”

“There's not going to be any drama.”

“I'm holding you to that.”

* * *

The rasp of his knuckles against the library door sounded much louder than he intended in the silence. It echoed eerily in the hallway but didn't catch the attention of anyone else in the house. After a voice on the other side of the door called him in, he let himself through the door and shut it behind him. Blue eyes glanced up from a thick tome that Caleb placed on a side table, so he could gesture for Fjord to take a seat in the armchair next to his.

His body sank easily into the overstuffed cushions as his eyes roamed around the space noting the changes Caleb made to the space as he did. It didn't surprise him in the least that the desk now held stacks of paper and ink along with Caleb's spell books. The long window bench was covered in pillows and blankets in a variety of colors and looked like a decent place to curl up for a nap.

“I like what you've done with the place.”

Caleb's head tipped to the side making it obvious he hadn't expected Fjord to start their conversation there. “Jester and Nott picked out most of it.”

“They did a good job. It's very cozy in here. I see why you've been spending most of your time here.”

“They did.”

Long fingers drummed against the arm of the chair drawing Fjord's attention to the exposed skin of Caleb's forearms. Since they began working out of Xhorhas, Caleb had spent less time hiding in a long coat. Most of their time spent at the house saw him in a silky shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows leaving Fjord's handprints on full display. The first time Beau noticed the marks her eyes had met Fjord with a knowing look that he rolled his eyes at. Luckily, the others hadn't made a big deal out of the marks burned into his skin.

“Fjord, is something on your mind?”

“Sorry. I, uh, didn't mean to space out on you.”

A soft smile tugged at the corners of Caleb's lips. “It is quite alright. We have plenty of time on our hands.”

“That we do. I'm not sure what to do with it.”

“You're welcome to join me whenever you like for conversation or quiet.”

“I think there's plenty of quiet.”

“Sharing the quiet with another can be more relaxing than being alone. It's less empty.”

“While that might be the case, I think I'm in the mood for conversation at the moment. There's been something on mind and now seems like a good time to discuss it.”

“What would you like to discuss?” When the words stuck in his throat, Fjord slowly reached out to rest a hand over the mark on Caleb's arm with his eyes locked on Caleb the entire time. “Ah, if it's making you uncomfortable to see them-”

“That's not it at all. It's your decision whether you're comfortable with people seeing them or not.”

“And when people ask about them?”

“Are we hiding this? It's not something we've announced, but I wasn't under the impression that it was a secret. Have you told Nott about this?”

“Ja. Have you told anyone?”

“Just Beau. She asked and I told her not to say anything since it's not her business to share.”

“Sounds like we've made it a secret to me, but I am not opposed to others knowing if they ask. How do you feel about it?”

“It doesn't make a difference to me whether people know or not.”

Caleb hummed under his breath, then shifted his arm so his hand could link with Fjord's. “I'll keep that in mind. Since that wasn't what you wanted to talk about, what is?”

“The last time we talked about this we barely knew each other. Now, we've been through a hell of a lot and I feel like this connection between us makes a lot more sense. We're not two strangers the universe-or whatever decides this-slapped together. There's something here. Do you...”

When Fjord couldn't finish the rest of the questions, Caleb rose from his chair to stand in front of Fjord with their hands still tangled together. Fjord's breath caught in his throat as Caleb urged him to stand by giving a small tug to their connected hands. Thoughtlessly, he followed the instruction to stand and followed when Caleb took several steps back. With their chests nearly touching, he was sure Caleb would be able to feel his heart threatening to beat out of his chest.

As Caleb pushed onto his toes, his free hand reached up to cup Fjord's jaw. Fjord leaned into the touch as his own hand settled on Caleb's thin waist and gave a light squeeze. Several breaths passed between them before Caleb cut the last of the distance to tentatively press their lips together. With a low growl, Fjord pulled Caleb closer to deepen the kiss. Their linked hands separated when Caleb released his hold in favor of slotting his hand over the mark on Fjord's shoulder. A shudder ran through his body at the touch causing the kiss to break.

“Fjord.” The breathy sigh that fell from Caleb's lips had Fjord dipping down for another kiss before his mind could even catch up with what just happen. “Fjord, I-”

While his lips strayed down to trail along the side of Caleb's throat, the words died in his throat and the hand on Fjord's shoulder tightened. Even though no space remained between them, Fjord pressed his hands firmer into Caleb's hips to drag him forward. A tug on his hair brought his lips back up to capture Caleb's in another breathtaking kiss that left them both gasping for air when they pulled away. As they struggled to catch their breath, Fjord dropped his head down to rest their foreheads together.

“Are you done interrupting me?”

“Maybe.” Soft laughter lit up Caleb's eyes as he dropped down from standing on his tiptoes. “This wasn't where I expected this conversation to go.”

“Really? What did you expect?”

“I don't know. My focus was on figuring out a way to tell you without stumbling all over my words in the process. It didn't exactly come out the way I hoped, but...”

“This is good.”

“Yeah, it is.”

* * *

“Leave it alone. You look fine.” Before he could swat at her hands, Beau dodged out of the way. “Stop messing with it.”

“I hate these things.”

“Tugging at it isn't going to make it any better.”

“Why do we have to go to this stupid thing?”

“Because it would be rude not to. It's a party being thrown in our honor.”

“None of us asked for a party. I'm pretty sure most of us don't even want to go to this thing. It's just going to be rubbing elbows and ass kissing.”

“Yes, but this time people will be trying to kiss our asses.”

With one final tug, Beau gave up on adjusting the tie. “There better be alcohol if I have to deal with that all night.”

“I'm sure there will be.”

“I'll bother you all night if there isn't.”

“Do not.” When Beau got a shit eating grin on her face, Fjord pointed a threatening finger at her that she knocked aside. “I mean it, Beau. As my first mate, I need you to not bother me all night. I've already talked to the others about this. You know why.”

“There better be alcohol.”

“Beau-”

“Don't get your pants in a twist. I know you've been nervous about this all week, not that you need to be.”

“I have not been nervous.”

“Good because you don't need to be. I'll make sure everyone leaves you alone when it's time.”

“Thank you, Beau.”

“Don't mention it.”

The clap on the back Beau gave him nearly sent him flying forward from the force, but he managed to turn it into a stumble instead. His glare was met by a smirk that disappeared at the sound of heels clicking against the floor behind him. Before he could turn, someone slammed into his back and lifted him off his feet into a hug.

“Fjord! You look so handsome.”

“Thank you, Jester. I would return the compliment, but I can't see you.”

After setting him back on his feet, Jester skipped around him to show off the sparkling blue dress that faded to a midnight blue at the bottom she picked for the evening. “What do you think?”

“You look very beautiful. I'm sure everyone will agree.”

“Just wait until you see Caleb. He looks really good.”

“Jester,” The sound of Caleb's voice behind him had Fjord instinctively turning to lock eyes with the Zemnian man. “you weren't supposed to ruin the surprise.”

Instead of the low ponytail he normally wore, the sides of his hair were braided back and into a knot with silver ribbon twisted through them and the rest of his hair hanging loosely around his shoulders. The dark navy of Caleb's suit seemed to shift to a dark silver as he moved across the entrance hall with the elongated sleeves of the coat swinging at his sides. Caleb's head tipped back to look up at him drawing Fjord's attention to the long line of his neck and the new necklace hanging around it. Despite all that, the thing that really stuck out was the truly happy smile he wore.

“It is considered rude to stare.”

“Apologies.” Fjord dipped down for a quick kiss, then straightened up and held out an arm for Caleb to loop his through. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you. So do you.”

The familiar weight of Caleb's body pressed against his side settled the few remaining nerves he spent all day trying to calm. After dropping a kiss to the top of Caleb's head, he guided Caleb out of the house to the carriage waiting to take them to their destination. Once everyone settled in, the carriage began moving through the streets until it came to a stop in front of a lavish building. A woman in a black dress greeted them as they exited, then lead them up the stairs and into a beautifully decorated ballroom.

The announcement of their arrival sent a wave of clapping through the room that continued until a regal looking official stood at the front table. A sudden hush fell over the crowd as the person began to speak about the purpose for the evening. Several more speeches followed that one before dinner was brought out and lively conversation filled the room. Throughout their meal, people came to their table to shake hands and thank them for what they did.

It wasn't until tables were cleared away for people to dance that the nerves hit Fjord full force once more. One-by-one the other members of the Mighty Nein disappeared into the crowd of dancers or went to talk to their friends. When he was left alone with Caleb, Fjord took a deep breath to calm his nerves, then rose and held out a hand.

“How does getting some fresh air sound?”

“Lead the way.”

With their finger intertwined, they headed for one of the large sets of double doors opened wide so people could access the balconies. After checking to make sure they would be alone, Fjord guided Caleb onto the empty balcony. If he were in the right state of mind to appreciate it, the view of the city would’ve been a spectacular sight. Instead, he focused on retrieving the ring from his pocket without making a fool of himself by dropping it.

“It's a beautiful night.”

“Yes, it is.” One more beat of silence passed before Fjord turned to Caleb with the ring box clutched tightly in his fist. “If you don't mind, there is something I wanted to ask you.”

“Of course, Fjord.”

With Caleb's eyes focused solely on him, the rest of the world narrowed to the two of them. He took one of Caleb's hands in his as he slowly lowered onto one knee, so he was looking up at Caleb. Wide eyes blinked down at him and the hand in his tightened to an almost crushing hold.

“There are a million things I could say. A million things that led to this moment, but there's not enough time to list them. So, I hope this is enough. Meeting you was unexpected and one of the best things to ever happen to me. I didn't know at the time how much you would mean to me, not even when you touched my shoulder and your handprint marked my skin. In the time we've known each other, we've been through a lot of ups and downs and got through it all. With you by my side, I never doubt that we will. I can't promise you forever, but for the rest of the time I have I want to spend it all with you. Caleb, will you marry me?”

The click of the ring box lid opening drew Caleb's attention to the ring sitting in the middle of the velvet cushion. After blinking back tears, a smile appeared on Caleb's face as he nodded a yes. With shaky hands, Fjord slid the ring onto Caleb's finger, then stood back up and cupped Caleb's jaw in his hands. Before pressing a kiss to Caleb's lips, he brushed away the tear that slipped down his cheek. Cool metal met his wrist when a hand reached up to wrap around it.

“I love you, Fjord.” Soft lips brushed against his for a light kiss, then Caleb pulled away to smile brightly at him. “I love you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


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